Opinion: Not Many NCAA Rules Changes for Men's Basketball, but One Could Impact "Press Virginia"

By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on May 17, 2017

BY ALLAN TAYLOR

MetroNews

After several years of meddling with college basketball in an effort to pump up offense and mirror the NBA, the NCAA rules committee essentially took a hands-off approach this time.

Good move, considering how the impact of recent modifications require time to marinate among coaches, players and, yes, fans before we continue the reshaping.

For this year at least, the lane is not getting wider, the 3-point line is not getting deeper, and the men’s game is not shifting from halves to quarters. (Personally, I like that college hoops plays halves — if only because it’s a traditional facet that distinguishes it from FIBA and the NBA and doesn’t hurt the game one iota.)

Yet there’s one rule modification being overlooked nationally that could become extremely important to Press Virginia:

“Adjust the officiating guidance in relation to the cylinder rule. If a defensive player straddles an offensive player’s leg in a way that prohibits him from making a normal basketball move — which now includes pivoting — contact that creates a common foul will be called on the defensive player.”